


Faking It

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 10:10:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16595861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: Theo and Liam have been best friends forever and they’ve gone unnoticed throughout school, much to Liam’s displeasure. One day at lunch, everything changes when a girl overhears them and is convinced they are dating. Liam, realizing this could be their shot at popularity by being the first same sex couple in schools, convinces Theo to fake date him. Between pretending and trying not to get caught, Theo will also have to avoid breaking his one rule: to not fall in love with his best friend.





	Faking It

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based very loosely upon the MTV show Faking It. But if you’re looking for it to be similar behind fake dating, you’re looking in the wrong place. 
> 
> Special shoutout to Manon, for doing some absolutely amazing artwork. Not only that, but she was also an incredible cheerleader (along with Dana) and another shoutout to Janna for being a last minute beta. You’re all seriously amazing, talented young women and I’m blessed to have you in my life. 
> 
> Art by the incredible Manon is located here! She did an amazing job so give her tons of love for it.
> 
> https://manonisamelon.tumblr.com/post/180016043537/for-big-bang-event-officialthiamlibrary-faking-it

“This sucks,” Liam declared loudly as he sat down across from Theo at the lunch table and set down his tray with more force than was strictly necessary. Theo eyed the assortment for a moment, lifting his apple to trade for Liam’s orange. “Yeah,” Liam sighed and took it from him. He polished it against his shirt before taking a bite, drawing a snicker from a nearby table. “Seriously?” He grumbled around a mouthful of food.

“What’s got you so pissed off?” Theo asked, giving his best friend his full attention as he started to peel the orange. “Bad day in biology?”

“The fucking worst.” Liam muttered. “No one wanted to be my partner, Theo. Not a single person. The teacher had to threaten the class to not give anyone credit before Josh finally came to be my partner. Do you know how embarrassing that was?” He sighed loudly and opened his bottled water, taking a swig. “I’m tired of being treated like a goddamn leper. We aren’t losers, Theo.”

“If only the rest of them knew that.” Theo hummed softly in agreement. “Don’t worry, Liam. At least it’s our last year in this hellhole.” Personally, Theo couldn’t wait to graduate and get the hell out of town. He longed to be away from his drunk father and his snobby older sister. If he were being honest, Liam was the only thing keeping him around. He’d found his way to the bus station a handful of times with only his bag in hand, waiting on a bench until the last of the buses was preparing to depart. Each time it happened, a text from Liam saved him from getting on one and disappearing beyond the city limits. 

He knew Liam didn’t quite feel the same way. But that was because Liam had other friends outside of Theo. He had his other best friend Mason, a boy who would do anything for Liam and kept their friendship his top priority. He thought maybe things would be easier at school if Liam had someone else to complain to every day and an extra shoulder to lean on. For as long as Theo could remember, he and Liam had been unpopular. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing - sometimes he really enjoyed flying under the radar. Then there were days like today. Days where Liam was practically snarling in anger, his IED bristling just under his skin. It was the reason most people stayed clear of the boy and as far as Theo was concerned, most people just seemed to prefer his sister. They’d tolerated his presence at school until she’d graduated and gone off to college. Now he was just ignored.

“I know,” Liam sighed and slumped his shoulders. “Hey. Did you hear about the Halloween movie marathon this weekend? I thought maybe you’d be interested in going.” He offered, a half smile forming as he watched Theo from under his messy hair. Theo forced himself to swallow and pause, not immediately wanting to agree. The last thing he wanted to be was desperate.

“I guess,” he said carefully as he slid on a neutral mask. “I mean, it’s better than anything else I have planned.”

“Dude. You have no plans. I would know about them.” Liam grinned, immediately calling him on his bullshit. Theo allowed himself to smirk in response and incline his head in agreement. “So I’ll buy tickets and you’ll buy the popcorn?”

“Sure but we’re each buying our own candy. I’m not getting tricked into eating licorice again.” Theo warned, pointing his fork at the other boy. 

“Oh my god, that’s so cute!” A girl from a nearby table turned around, smiling brightly at them. “My boyfriend says the same thing. He hates my favorite candy.” She smiled sympathetically at Liam and then tilted her head. “I didn’t know you two were gay. Oh my gosh, I have to tell Maggie!” She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo of the speechless boys before sending it out. All around them, phones started to light up. Theo ducked his head and drew his shoulders up as half of the eyes in the cafeteria turned toward them.

“What the fuck is happening?” Liam whispered as someone stood up and pointed them out, shouting that the school finally had their first gay couple. A swarm of people suddenly began moving toward them to congratulate them. Without thinking, Theo grabbed Liam by the wrist and began to drag him toward the nearest exit as his cheeks heated up. He could hear the click of phones going off around them and he did his best to block out the noise, hoping that they’d be left along as he dragged Liam to the bleachers outside. “Dude!” Liam grinned and pulled free when they were finally alone, his eyes bright with excitement as he turned to Theo. “Did...did that just happen?”

“People are so goddamn nosy,” Theo grumbled. “Why are you smiling like that?” He lifted an eyebrow as he stared at his best friend.

“Because  _ dude _ ,” Liam breathed out, “I have the best idea. Did you see how everyone was paying attention to us? They wanted to congratulate us, Theo! They were taking pictures!”

“I don’t get it.” Theo admitted, squinting slightly as he eyed the other boy. The slightly manic gleam in his eyes was never a good sign. “Liam. No.” He said as Liam started to open his mouth. “Whatever you’ve decided, no. No. It’s a bad idea.”

“But Theo...it’s the best idea. We could be popular!” Liam grabbed him by the arm. “Theo, think about it. All you’d have to do is pretend to be my boyfriend-”

“Already a terrible idea,” Theo muttered under his breath.

“And take me on a couple of dates. We’d be like the first gay couple here at school. Do you know how inspiring that would be? We could use this and totally help other people out. Theo, this is such a good idea.” Liam continued as though he hadn’t heard him.

“It’s a terrible idea,” Theo reiterated as he pulled his arm free and crossed both over his chest. “Did you forget the part where we aren’t actually dating? And lying to people-”

“Theo, come on. Don’t you want to be popular for once?” Liam whined, taking a step closer. “Don’t you want to help others?” He batted his eyelashes with a pout, taking full advantage of Theo’s weakness for him. “All we have to do is hold hands and go on dates. We already hang out all the time, what’s a little step further?”

“I’m going on the record, once again, to state that this is a bad idea.” Theo warned. Sighing loudly, he dropped his arms to his sides. He could never deny Liam. When it came to things like this, he was absolutely hopeless. “And what if one of us finds a girl that we like and want to date?” He asked. He knew it wouldn’t happen for him but Liam didn’t need to know that. Despite being best friends, there were some things that he just wasn’t ready to tell him.

“Then we stage a public break up, cool our heels for a few weeks, and then we date a girl. Bisexuality is a thing, you know.” Liam’s lips stretched into a smug grin. “This is going to be awesome. Seriously.”

“Yeah. Awesome.” Theo echoed, shaking his head slightly as Liam turned away. This was going to end badly, as Liam’s plans always did, but at least he wouldn’t have to go down alone.

-

“Hey, Mrs. Geyer.” Theo smiled as Jenna opened up the front door. “Is Liam almost ready?”

“He should be right down, Theo. He said that Mason was going to meet you guys there?” She asked, guiding him into the living room and sitting on the couch in her usual spot.

“Yeah. Mason’s bringing a date and blankets for my truck. Liam’s supposed to be bringing the pillows.” Theo explained, rubbing the palms of his hands against his thighs. 

“Ah. That would explain it,” she nodded in understanding. “I still can’t believe the drive-in reopened last month. Liam’s dad and I used to go on dates there all the time when we first started dating. It’s nice to see the two of you going on dates like that.”

“Right. Yeah.” Theo nodded, swallowing hard. He hated the idea of lying to Jenna but Liam had been insistent on telling her they’d been dating. She’s congratulated them both and taken them out for ice cream, telling Liam how proud she was for being honest with her. Theo had tried not to dwell too much on it. She’d be crushed if she ever found out they were lying. 

“I bought some candy for both of you. Sour candy is still your favorite, right?” She asked, frowning as something heavy hit the floor above them. “Liam Dunbar, if you break anything-“ she warned, voice raising slightly. “Get downstairs! You’re keeping your boyfriend waiting!”

“Be right there!” 

“Honestly, Theo, I don’t know how you put up with my son.” Jenna smiled fondly as she reached for her reading glasses and pulled them on. “He’s lucky to have you.”

“I think I’m the lucky one.” He confessed softly, looking up as footsteps sounded on the stairs. Liam appeared a moment later, grinning brightly at Theo. It made his chest do something funny and he frowned slightly, rubbing his palm against it. 

“Hey! Just need to grab our supplies from the dining room. Mind helping?”

“Not at all.” Theo assured, taking a step toward him. “I won’t bring him back too late, Mrs. Geyer.”

“For the millionth time, it’s Jenna. Go and have fun, it’s a Saturday night. Don’t worry about the time. The guest room is made up for you when you get in. And I mean that,” Jenna fixed him with a firm look. “Now that you’re dating, separate rooms are a must. I don’t even want to think about what the two of you have been doing behind my back.”

“Mom!” Liam said, cheeks bright red. “Oh my god, seriously? We haven’t even kissed yet!” His nose scrunched up and Theo chuckled, shaking his head in fond amusement. 

“That doesn’t sound like my kind of problem. Maybe you two should fix that.” Jenna teased before waving them on. “Go and be young, have fun.”

“I hate you.” Liam declared, fighting a grin as he led Theo into the dining room. He grabbed the bags of candy and tucked several pillows under his arms, nodding for Theo to collect the rest. “Dude. I’m so excited for this!”

“I know. You love the  _ Halloween  _ movies.” Theo smiled fondly as he collected the other pillows and followed him from the house. “I’m half surprised you didn’t want to dress up for this.”

“I was tempted.” Liam admitted, the back of his neck turning red. “But I kind of figured with all the attention we’ve been getting lately, I should not be a total dork for once.” 

“Hey.” Theo tossed the pillows into his backseat and stepped forward, placing his hands on Liam’s upper arms. “Screw what everyone else thinks. There’s no shame in being passionate about something. Half the school dressed up in slutty Halloween costumes, why would it matter if you did the same?” 

“You think I should be wearing a slutty costume?” Liam’s face scrunched and Theo laughed, lightly brushing his index finger between his eyes to smooth out the crinkled skin. Liam’s breath hitched and Theo swallowed, dropping his hand and stepping back.

“No. But I think you should follow your passions and not care what anyone else thinks.” Theo said as he walked around the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go. It’s almost 4 and we want to get the best seats possible.” 

“Yeah.” Clearing his throat, Liam joined him and pulled the door shut. “Can I put on a station for us?”

“Only if you promise to actually let the songs finish.” Theo said, pulling on his sunglasses. “Text Mason and let him know we’ll be there soon.” He said, pulling the visor down to help block the incoming sun. “You know the guy he’s bringing as his date?”

“Just that his name is Corey and he works two jobs. Mason’s kind of over the moon about him.” Liam said, shrugging one shoulder as he pulled his phone out. He tapped out a quick text and leaned forward, fiddling with the radio for a moment. “Can I confess something?” He asked softly. 

“Only if it’s not going to make me want to punch you,” Theo said as he turned the wheel fluidly into his next turn. 

“I feel guilty.” Liam said softly. Theo chanced a look at him, surprised to find such sincerity in those striking blue eyes. “At least for lying to Mason. He’s actually gay and I know he’s out and proud but he got a lot of shit for it when he first came out. He deserves the truth.”

“Your call.” Theo said, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “Hey. Mason is your best friend. He loves you, even with your faults. Just...be completely honest and don’t get angry if he gets upset. He’d be within reason if he is.”

“I know. That’s what I’m afraid of,” Liam sighed. “I’ll tell him when we get there, before the movies start. Then if he wants to leave or punch me in the face, he can.”

“Don’t worry. If he does, I’ll be there as your fake boyfriend to kiss it better.” He winked over and Liam laughed, lightly pushing at his shoulder. The rest of the trip was easy, the pair trading stories and singing along to their favorite songs. Within the hour they were pulling off a dirt road and onto grass, Theo maneuvering his truck around and backing it up so they had a perfect view of the projector across the field. Before they had time to get out, Mason’s car pulled up alongside of them and a boy in the passenger seat gave a shy wave. 

Theo killed the engine and climbed out, pocketing his keys as he opened the back door to grab some of the pillows. Mason stepped out of his car a moment later, blankets and comforters bundled in his arms as he walked around to throw everything in the bed of the truck. “Hey! Theo, this is Corey. Corey, meet Theo.” He introduced the brunet boy behind him, grinning widely. “It’s his first time here at the drive-in. I told him we should make this a monthly thing for double dates.”

“Nice to meet you, Corey.” He tossed the other boy an easy smile and returned his focus to Mason. “Dude, if we do this once a month then we are taking one car and you’re putting in gas money. It takes almost a quarter of a tank to get here and back.”

“It’s my fault we couldn’t all drive together tonight,” Corey said softly. “I have the early shift in the morning so I need to be home before midnight. Otherwise we could stay all night.” 

“I don’t blame you,” Theo assured.

“Hey!” Liam beamed as he came from inside the truck, tossing the rest of the pillows over the side and then the bags of candy on top. 

“Corey, this is my best friend, Liam.” Mason said. “He’s the one that orchestrated this whole thing.”

“To be fair, it wasn’t hard. I just made a lot of calls and convinced them little kids would be trick-or-treating and adults deserved a movie here every now and then. Plus Michael Myers? Classic.” Liam said, sticking out his tongue. 

“We’ve got half an hour to kill. Why don’t Corey and I make up the truck and you guys go get snacks?” Theo suggested, giving his fake boyfriend a knowing look.

“Yeah. Good plan.” Liam said, swallowing hard. “Popcorn and a slushie, yeah?”

“Cherry flavored. Don’t you dare cheat me on it.” Theo warned, lowering his tailgate. Mason nodded and gave him and Corey a quick thumbs up.

“And lemonade and gummy worms for you,” Mason said. Corey’s cheeks heated up as he nodded, biting on his lower lip. 

“Thanks.” He said in a soft hush. 

“You got it,” Mason winked and linked arms with Liam before dragging him away. They hadn’t made it more than fifteen yards before Mason let go and gave him a serious look. “Dude. Spill. Your eye is twitching a little and that only happens when you’re having an internal freakout. You know I like Theo, right? Like it’s cool that you’ve been dating in secret and didn’t tell me at first? I get wanting to figure things out.”

“It’s not that.” Liam exhaled slowly and glanced back over his shoulder. “Come with me,” he said, grabbing Mason by the wrist and leading him around the concessions building and into the single stall bathroom. He locked the door and sighed, squirming as his best friend frowned at him. 

“What’s going on? You’re kind of making me nervous, dude.”

“I have to tell you something and I don’t know how you’re going to take it. At all. Like, you might punch me and I’d totally be okay with that because I’m a giant asshole and so inconsiderate and I’m sorry-”

“Liam!” Mason gently grabbed his shoulders and he sucked in a ragged breath. “Breathe. Seriously, take a second. Whatever it is, we can work through it. You’re scaring me, bro.”

“I’m sorry.” Liam swallowed hard and lifted his hands, gripping Mason tightly under his arms. “It’s about me and Theo. I...Mason, I wasn’t even thinking about you when I came up with this plan. And then it hit me a couple of days later but then you’d seen the Instagram posts about us and it was too late to turn back. We aren’t...Theo and I aren’t a real couple.” He said, voice barely above a whisper. 

“What are you talking about? I saw the photo yesterday of you trying to feed him fries at lunch.” Mason frowned and slowly let go of him. “Liam?”

“You know people have been bullying us since freshman year. But Monday a girl mistook us for a couple and she snapped a picture and sent it and everyone knew within minutes. And people were congratulating us. People were actually...they liked us, Mase. And I wanted it so bad. I still want it. I want to be popular…”

“So you lied? Dude, what’s wrong with you?” Mason said, disapproval coloring his voice. “Li, you know sexuality isn’t a game. People at my school bullied me when I first came out. Why...just for popularity?”

“A little. But Mase, there aren’t any gay couples at our school. We could inspire more to come out and be together and show them they don’t have to be afraid. I know I fucked up and I’m sorry. Just please, please don’t hate me for this.” Liam begged softly, tears pricking at the corners of his vision. “You’re my best friend.”

“I could never hate you. Do I think you’re an absolute idiot? Yes. But hate you? Never.” Sighing, he stepped forward and pulled Liam into his arms for a tight hug. “Theo’s okay with this?”

“Kind of.” Liam burrowed his face down against his shoulder. “I wanted to be popular and he...he went along with it.”

“Just be careful, Liam. In situations like this, someone is always bound to end up hurt. Fake dating gets messy. If people find out the truth…” Mason warned, shaking his head slightly. 

“I know. I just...I needed to tell you. I can’t stand lying to you and the feeling was making me sick. Theo’s my best friend too but you? You’ll always be number one.” Liam said, squeezing him tighter. “Thanks for not hating me.”

“Sure thing. Let’s go get in line before our boyfriends think we’ve ditched them.” Mason chuckled and rubbed his back before letting go. “Your secret is safe with me. So hold hands and be a couple for tonight. But like I said...be careful. You don’t want to jeopardize your friendship with him.” He cautioned before moving to unlock the door. Liam nodded and followed him out, breathing a sigh of relief. They made their way through the line and gathered their snacks, heading back to join the other boys. Theo was leaning over Corey’s phone, grinning at whatever he was being shown. Both looked up with matching smiles and Liam’s heart sped up slightly at the sight. 

“Hey. Corey was showing me his cat. You have to check her out, she’s the cutest thing ever.” Theo said, reaching to take the popcorn and drink from his hands so he could climb up beside him.

“Thanks,” Liam smiled and slid into the space beside him. He slumped down into the pillows behind him, tilting his head to see Corey’s phone. “She’s adorable. How old?”

“Almost a year.” Corey smiled and slid down, settling against Mason’s chest as the other boy lay behind him. “We rescued her from the street. One of the neighbor’s cats got pregnant and had a litter. They just abandoned them in the middle of the parking lot one night. We took them to the vet the next morning, at least the ones that survived. Most got adopted out within a week after they wound up posting pics online. The runt didn’t so we decided to keep her.”

“You’ve got a heart of gold.” Theo said, wrapping an arm around Liam’s waist and tugging him halfway on top of him so his head was on his chest. “Corey volunteers at a nursing home and a homeless shelter in his spare time. He works at a coffee shop as the assistant manager, which is why he can’t stay tonight. He’s got to open the doors at 4 in the morning. And his second job is bagging groceries at the local supermarket.” He said, listing off what he’d learned while Mason and Liam had been getting snacks and talking.

“Dude. You’re practically a saint.” Liam said, grinning as Corey flushed bright red. “Mason, you sure this guy is real?” He teased. 

“He’s an angel.” Mason said, smiling as he wrapped his arms around Corey. 

“One who is terrified of horror movies.” He said, cheeks still burning. “So if I scream, try not to judge me. Or laugh too loud.”

“No worries. Liam screams whenever he sees a spider so I’m used to it.” Theo joked, snickering as Liam jabbed an elbow against his hip. “You know it’s true.” He said, tightening his hold around his waist. 

“Hate you,” Liam muttered as he reached for the popcorn bucket. Theo tipped it sideways to give him easy access and he smiled up in thanks.

“You guys are so cute.” Corey said. “Mason said you guys have been friends forever. That’s always sounded like the ideal way to fall in love. Being best friends and knowing someone’s ins and outs, all their quirks and flaws and seeing them for more. It’s such a cliche but I love it.”

“Well, we’ve only been dating a couple of weeks. Not sure I’d call it love just yet.” Theo said smoothly before Liam had time to panic over a response. “But I’m pretty fond of him, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah. I guess it’s mutual.” Liam said, settling his head on his shoulder as he tossed the handful of popcorn in his mouth. The four of them spent the next half hour trading stories about school and childhood memories until the speakers between their cars crackled to life and the first of the movies began to play. Despite the sun still being out, it was easy to see what was going on and Liam didn’t have to strain and lift his head. Theo’s shoulder was the perfect pillow. As the second movie came to an end, a chill entered the air and blankets were pulled up over the pairs. Theo rubbed his hands up and down Liam’s arms a few times to keep them warm. It wasn’t until the end of the third movie that Mason apologized for having to leave, telling Theo and Liam to keep the blankets and return them later in the week. 

Mason motioned for Theo to follow him for a moment as he collected trash to throw away. With the promise of getting more popcorn, Theo hopped down from the truck and trailed after Mason. “So, Liam told you?” He asked quietly.

“Yeah. He’s an idiot.” Mason sighed and shook his head. “But do you think it’s wise to do this? Come on, man. I know it’s gotta be messing with your head. You have him but you don’t really have him. That sucks.”

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Mason. I really do.” Theo sighed and ran his fingers back through his hair. “But Liam doesn’t know that I’m gay and I’d like to keep it that way. It’ll just make things weird between us. I appreciate you helping me figure things out last year but you can’t tell him. Please,” he added quietly. “He doesn’t need to know.”

“Dude. You’re my friend and I care about you. I just...I know you thought you might have had a crush on Liam last summer. If you think this is getting too hard or too real for you-”

“It won’t.” Theo cut him off firmly. “I won’t let it happen. I don’t have feelings for him. Even if I did, he’s straight. This is just about popularity for him. If it makes him happy…”

“You have no idea how gone you are already for him.” Mason sighed heavily and tossed the plastic wrappers into the trash bin. “I’m just saying, you should be careful. Protect yourself. I love Liam, but he’s an idiot. The biggest one I know. He hurts people’s feelings without meaning to all the time because he never stops to think. I don’t want either of you heartbroken at the end of this.”

“If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s protecting my heart. There’s a reason you and Liam are my only friends.” Theo reminded with a self-deprecating smile. “Relax, Mason. I’ll be okay.”

“You always say that.” Mason sighed and clapped him on the shoulder. “I should get going with Corey so he can sleep in a real bed before his shift.”

“Like he needs it. He slept the second half of the second movie and completely through the third,” he chuckled softly. “It’s fine. Liam and I will stay for one more and then we should head back. Jenna said no curfew but I don’t like to push things.”

“Sounds good.” Mason said. Theo joined the line to get a refill for popcorn, grateful they were still serving for the next half hour. He followed Mason back to their vehicles and bid Corey goodbye, climbing into the bed of his truck beside Liam as the other couple climbed into Mason’s car and headed off. 

“That went well,” Theo murmured as he stretched himself out. “Mason seemed to take it well.”

“He’s the best. Thanks for encouraging me to talk to him. It really did go smoothly.” Liam hummed and leaned back in, settling his head on Theo’s chest. 

“Don’t have to pretend right now.” Theo murmured, heart skipping a beat as he looked down at the other boy.

“I know. You’re just warm and comfortable. This okay?” Liam asked softly, looking up at him through gorgeous lashes.

“Always.” Theo promised, sliding his arms around him. He settled in to watch the next movie, not surprised when Liam fell asleep shortly after it began.  He stroked a hand gently down his side, exhaling loudly as he tipped his head back to stare at the night sky. Despite what he’d told Mason, he knew he was completely fucked.

Within the hour, he’d managed to sneak out from beneath Liam and clean up the bed of his truck. He tossed all of the pillows into the back except the one Liam was currently using and succeeded in grabbing the blankets while wrapping the other boy in the comforter to keep him from getting cold. By the time the credits were rolling, he had shaken the other boy awake to watch the ending with him. They climbed into his truck and Liam laid down across the seats, pillowing his head on Theo’s thigh as he fell back asleep almost immediately. He smiled fondly and combed his fingers through his hair as he started to drive, glancing down every so often at the boy drooling on his leg. Mason was right. He was stupid to believe this was going to end any way except with him getting his heart broken.

By the time they’d made it back to Liam’s house, Theo was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He shook Liam awake a second time and they both stumbled upstairs and into the guest bedroom, Liam flopping face first on the bed. “So tired,” he groaned out as he spread like a starfish across the bed. “Ugh. Why did I think this was a good idea to stay up half the night?”

“Because you love your horror movies,” Theo chuckled roughly as he stripped his shirt and jeans. “Go to your room. If your mom catches you asleep in here, she’ll kill both of us.” He turned back to the mattress but Liam was already breathing deeply, fingers loosely clutching the comforter. “Of course,” he sighed quietly. He knelt beside the bed and worked off Liam’s shoes and socks, deciding that would have to do for now. Maybe Liam would wake up and undress the rest of the way. Shaking his head, he covered Liam up as best as he could and walked to the door. Flicking the lights as he went, he wandered down the hall to Liam’s bedroom and collapsed into the familiar bed with a quiet moan. His body sagged into the bed and his eyes fluttered shut, head buried against Liam’s pillow. Inhaling his favorite scent, he wrapped himself in the sheets and was out before he could count past five. 

-

“I don’t like this,” Theo muttered as he followed Liam through the cafeteria.

“Theo. It’s the cheer squad. Hot cheerleaders, come on.” Liam whined softly. Theo rolled his eyes and Liam tightened the grip on his hand, shooting him a look.

“Like I’m going anywhere.” He sighed, shaking his head as they dropped into the free spots across from the group of girls dressed in uniform. 

“Hey, ladies,” Liam put on his winning smile. “Looking good.”

“Not as good as your boyfriend,” Tracy sighed as she jutted out her lower lip in a pout, leaning forward with her chin on her palms, elbows on the table. She exposed an impressive amount of cleavage and Theo kept his face firmly fixed at eye level. “Why are the hot ones always gay?” Theo wanted to scoff and counter that she’d never found him attractive before, but he bit his tongue and kept his fake smile fixed firmly in place.

“Guess that’s just the way of things,” he shrugged one shoulder.

“Makes me pretty lucky though,” Liam smiled and leaned over to press a warm kiss to his cheek. Theo flushed bright red, biting the inside of his cheek as several of the girls cooed in response.

“You two are the cutest! And did you hear about the quarterback and the lacrosse captain?” Gwen asked, twirling her hair around her index finger. “I hear that Josh and Brett are totally going to come out as a couple at the homecoming dance in a couple of weeks. Rumor has it there’s a big proposal thing planned to ask each other to the dance.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Liam grinned and nudged his elbow into Theo’s arm. “I told you being open in public would inspires others.” 

“Yeah. That’s exactly what you told me.” Theo rolled his eyes, picking up a fry from his plate. He settled in, trying his best to go unnoticed while Liam fully invested in conversing with the cheer squad for the remainder of lunch. When the school quarterback, Josh Diaz, joined them, Theo gave up his attempt at solitude and engaged in a discussion of video games with the other boy. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that the jock was highly enthusiastic about them and, not only was he a nice guy, he was also genuinely interested in what Theo had to say. If it hadn’t been for the past couple of years ignoring his existence, Theo would have liked to say they could be friends. If Liam’s encouraging smile and not-at-all subtle glances were anything to go by, he would say that the other boy agreed. Maybe, just maybe, their newfound popularity and acceptance wasn’t the worst thing to have ever happened. He would never admit that out loud.

-

“Fine,” Theo sighed heavily as he parked his truck outside of the bowling alley and turned to fix Liam with an unimpressed look. “You were totally right. Is that what you wanted to hear? Being popular isn’t the worst thing that’s happened to us.”

“I knew you would eventually see things my way.” Liam beamed and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “This will be fun. Tracy is totally into you and Brett’s coming and I think Josh and Gwen might even show up. This will be fun!” He insisted.

“Or it will be a trainwreck.” Theo muttered to himself. “Look, I’ll behave. But if you’re going to spend the night flirting with Gwen...that’s a horrible idea. The worst. You’re supposed to be my boyfriend. And Tracy isn’t really my type, I’ve got zero interest in her.”

“Harsh.” 

“It’s the truth. Would you rather I lie about it?” Theo raised an eyebrow. “I just think it’s risky to play around when we’re out in public. We’re already risking it all by pretending to be in a sincere relationship.”

“Yeah, I guess. Gwen’s not really my type, anyways. It’s just nice to have all of this attention.” Liam confessed softly. “You ready to kick some serious ass bowling?” He changed topics quickly and Theo rolled his eyes, nodding at his best friend. Together they climbed from the truck and joined hands in front of it, walking toward the bowling alley together. Theo pulled out his wallet as they entered and went to get bowling shoes for both of them, leaving Liam to go and find the jocks. By the time he’d joined them, the group was laughing at something he’d missed. Gwen had her hand on Liam’s arm and he was leaning into her, cheeks flushed as he gasped for breath. Something in him clenched at the sight and he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

“Hey. We good to play?” He asked, all but shoving the shoes into Liam’s arms. 

“Yeah, we’ve got a lane and some bowling balls. I assume you told them you were with us?” Brett asked, nodding back toward the front.

“I did. I’ll grab the bowling balls for us and meet you guys over there.” Theo said, turning on his heel. He made it two steps before Liam caught him by the arm, tugging him back.

“Hey. You want anything to eat? I was going to get nachos and a drink to split. Not root beer,” he added before he could work his mouth open. “Lemonade okay?”

“It’s perfect. Thank you.” He smiled slightly and leaned in, brushing a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips. “Try not to miss me too much,” he added with a confidence he wasn’t quite sure was real as he smiled and walked away. He turned the corner and glanced back, grinning to himself as he saw Liam still touching the place where he’d been kissed. 

He selected two matching bowling balls after testing the weight, knowing this was what Liam was used to. They’d spent enough nights here on their own that he felt comfortable with his choice. He headed back to the group to see Liam sitting with the girls and Josh leaning down over Brett’s shoulder as he attempted to put in names. Glancing up at the screen, he raised an eyebrow. “Why am I Gay One and Liam Gay Two?” He asked, dropping the balls into the tray.

“Because Brett thinks he’s a fucking comedian and won’t change it. Tracy is Ditzy and Gwen is Powderpuff if that makes you feel better.” Josh sighed.

“And who are you two?” He asked.

“Brett is Hot Stuff 69 and I’m apparently Biting Material.” Josh rolled his eyes as Brett snickered and hit enter. “You’re a moron,” he added.

“I aim to please. We split the teams, Theo. You’re with us against the girls and your boyfriend.” Brett said as he got to his feet. “We figure Liam might be the bitch in the relationship.”

“Hey! You jackass, you asked if I’d do it so the teams were even!” Liam pouted.

“Don’t worry, Liam. They’re going to lose.” Gwen squeezed his arm. 

“Yeah! I can totally score a basket!” Tracy beamed and Theo wanted to smack himself in the forehead. At the look on Liam’s face, he knew he was feeling the same way.

“Right. Let’s just…” Brett shook his head and stepped forward, picking up one of the balls. “Gwen, you’re up.” He added before moving down the lane and tossing his first roll. It drifted to the left and sank into the gutter just before it reached the line and he groaned. In the next lane, Gwen’s rolled completely down the gutter and she groaned loudly.

“Oh my god. He’s fucking terrible.” Josh whispered to Theo, chuckling. “At least Gwen is just as bad.”

“Right.” Theo smiled slightly and watched both attempt a pitiful second roll, glancing up at the scoreboard. He and Liam were up next. “Are you this bad, too?”

“I’m not a complete failure but…” Josh shrugged one shoulder. He turned just in time to see Brett’s ball sink four of the pins and Gwen hit the gutter a second time.

“Might be a long game.” Theo said as he stepped forward to grab his own ball. He glanced across the tray at Liam, grinning. “Ready for them to see how lame you actually are?” He teased gently, smirking as Liam flipped him off.

“Just remember who taught you everything you know,” Liam said. They lined themselves up and moved in fluid motion down the lane, Liam’s ball curving and speeding down the lane. His split hit two seconds before Theo’s successful strike and he groaned. “Fuck.”

“The student has surpassed the master, dork.” Theo winked over at him and walked back, high fiving Brett and Josh. 

“Dude! We’re so going to win.” Brett grinned widely.

“You mind helping a guy out. You seem to know your stuff,” Josh chuckled.

“I’ve spent a lot of time here.” Theo admitted with a blush, turning to watch Liam finish with a spare. “Anyhow, it’s all about how you line yourself up. Liam and I met a guy who taught a bowling class for college and he was amazing. He gave us some great pointers on what to do and how to position ourselves. We practiced until we perfected it and started trying out our own stuff. And that...makes us totally lame.”

“It doesn’t. You’re passionate about something.” Josh assured softly. “Nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. So, what tips can you give me?”

“See the lines on the floor? The little markings?” Theo pointed to them. “Line your feet up with them and decide if you’re a four step or three step and throw kind of guy. Basically, how many steps does it take to reach the lane before you throw? When you throw the ball, look a few feet down the lane and focus on where you want the ball to go. Don’t try anything fancy, just give it your best. Learn what feels best for you.”

“I always wondered what those lines were for.” Josh grinned. “Thanks, man.” He clapped Theo on the arm and stepped forward to grab his bowling ball. While Tracy just attempted her best shot and managed to knock down a single pin, Josh took his time lining himself up before taking the shot. He knocked down seven on his first try and two on the next, coming close for a spare.

“Not bad.” Theo congratulated as Josh turned a blinding grin on him. Huh. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all. If he wasn’t fake dating his best friend, he would probably be Theo’s type. Too bad he was interested in Brett. 

“All thanks to you.” Josh grinned as he joined back at his side, Brett taking his place. “Have you seen the latest gameplay trailer for Ubisoft’s newest project?” He asked. Theo shook his head and Josh pulled out his phone, quickly loading it up for him to check out. He was halfway through the trailer when Liam approached, loudly clearing his throat. 

“Theo. Come on, we’re up.” He said. For a split second, Theo would have sworn his jaw was clenched and there was a crease in his eyebrows. But the expression seemed to smooth away after he looked up and smiled apologetically. 

“My bad. Let me kick your ass again.” He smirked and headed to pick up his ball and get into position. Liam joined him across the tray, nodding for him to go ahead. He followed up his strike by hitting nine of the pins, grinning as Liam got his first strike of the night. “Not bad, Dunbar.”

“You were looking shaky in your release. Already losing your game?” Liam smirked tauntingly and Theo narrowed his eyes. 

“You’re going down, Li.” He warned before stepping back to join Brett and watch Josh take his shot. The new few turns went fairly quickly. Food arrived as a brief distraction but then Brett and Gwen took their places. Liam stepped up behind Gwen, hands guiding her in all the right movements in a way that made his chest clench again. Was he jealous? No, he was being ridiculous. He absolutely was not allowed to have feelings for his best friend. Still, that didn’t stop him from grinding his teeth every time Gwen giggled and Liam tried to show her something new. He threw himself into the game as a distraction, needing the physical release before he said something he’d regret. Sometimes he felt like the one with an IED.

“Last turn, guys.” Brett said. His gaze flicked up to the screen where the scores were displayed and he rolled his shoulders back. They were neck at neck in scores, Liam and Gwen managing to carry the team almost as well as Theo and Josh. Another two strikes might do the trick, otherwise he’d end with a spare at best. Grimacing, he watched Brett’s first shot turn into a gutter ball at the last possible moment. The second took out six pins and then he was up, standing across the ball tray from Liam.

“It’s all down to us, it seems.” Liam said as he rotated the ball in his hands. 

“Just try not to cry too much when we wipe the floor with you.” Theo grinned and Liam laughed, blowing him a kiss before he stepped into position. He let his friend go first, watching the way his leg muscles flexed with each movement. As he got himself into position and took the first step, he knew something was wrong. Pain flared through his side as he extended his arm, dropping the ball short and watching it roll slowly into the gutter. “ _ Fuck _ ,” he hissed as he quickly tried to adjust his shirt from where it had risen to revel bruises left from his father. The pain spiked again and he bit down on the inside of his cheek, shaking his head as he backed up to retrieve his ball for his second shot.

“Theo?” Liam asked softly, giving him a worried look. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m fine.” He muttered as he shifted hands and tried with his left instead. He could bowl a decent shot with his other hand, just not a strike. “Looks like you’re going to get your win.”

“I don’t care about the win.” Liam spoke lowly, watching him intently. “Theo-“

“Don’t worry about it.” He interrupted gently. “We’ve got a game to finish.” He moved back into position and shuffled forward slowly, rolling the ball down the lane. It was nowhere near as impressive as the rest of his game had been, only managing to knock out three pins. He groaned and turned back to his team, offering an apologetic smile. “Sorry, guys.”

“I can’t believe you threw the game for your boyfriend,” Brett complained as he nudged Josh forward. “Maybe you can save us.”

“No promises.” Josh said, sounding unfocused as he studied Theo. He squirmed and shifted under his gaze, stepping off to the side to sit and untie his shoes. By the time he’d changed them, Josh was celebrating his first strike. He smiled weakly at the jock and gave him a thumbs up, trying not to raise his arm too high so his shirt didn’t ride up again. Tracy’s five pin finish ended up helping Liam’s team win by three points and Gwen squealed, throwing her arms around Liam and kissing his cheek. Theo turned away from them and got to his feet, frowning as Josh stepped closer and touched his arm. “Hey. Help me throw the trash away?”

“Sure.” Theo turned and grabbed the wadded up napkins and empty food containers while Josh collected the cups. “Nice strike.” He said, following him to a trash can across the room.

“I had a pretty decent teacher. He’s a cool guy.” Josh smiled slightly. “But...Theo, man, I’ve gotta ask. Your side...it practically looks like someone took a meat hammer to it-“

“It’s really none of your fucking business, is it?” He snarled, feeling on edge as he tossed the trash away. “I’m fine.”

“Dude. You look worse than when some of my team gets tackled on the field. Theo, you’re a great guy. If someone is hurting you-“

“You didn’t really care about my wellbeing before I was gay, did you?” Theo asked coolly. “Don’t worry, Josh. Everything is fine. Do us both a favor and pretend you never saw anything.” He muttered before spinning on his heel, striding quickly back to the others. His stomach flipped at the sight of Gwen practically sitting in Liam’s lap, but his friend all but dumped her as he shot to his feet. 

“Theo, you okay?” He asked quietly, stepping forward and grasping him by the upper arms. The worry in his soft blue eyes was nauseating. Liam didn’t need to be worried about him. He almost wished he would go back to flirting with Gwen so the spotlight wasn’t on him anymore. 

“I’m fine,” he answered in a clipped tone. 

“We were thinking of taking the girls out for ice cream to celebrate their win.” Brett said slowly, raising an eyebrow. “Dude, if you’re not feeling well then we don’t have to go. Liam said sometimes your muscles seize up and you hurt. Don’t worry about that last turn, we won’t hold it against you.” His smile was sincere and Theo felt shittier than he had in a while. Why did the popular kids have to actually be so nice? Why couldn’t they be jerks that made him hate them?

“It’s okay, Brett. We can rain check on the ice cream to this weekend.” Gwen smiled at him. “It’s getting kind of late and I should get home.”

“But mint chocolate chip!” Tracy pouted. 

“You guys can go.” Liam said, dropping his hands from Theo’s arms as his fingers started to tremble. “Don’t worry, I’m going to make sure Theo gets some rest.” 

“We can go now.” Theo argued, lips flattening in a thin line as he stared challengingly back at him. “I said I was fine-“

“Then I’m tired and my mom wants us to come home.” Liam said evenly, his gaze hardening. 

“We  _ so _ did not mean to cause your first fight, omg.” Gwen bit her lip. “Let’s just get out of here, okay?”

“Sounds good. We’ll see you guys at school tomorrow.” Liam said, grabbing Theo by the hand. He squeezed so hard that it started to ache and after an awkward round of goodbyes, he all but dragged Theo from the bowling alley and through the parking lot. By the time they reached the vehicle and Liam was forced to let go, he knew he was vibrating with anger. “You didn’t tell me he was drinking again.” Liam said as Theo slammed the door of his truck. He stiffened and gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning white.    
  
“Doesn’t really matter, does it?” He asked quietly.    
  
“Fuck! Theo, you promised after last time. You said you’d tell me if he ever touched you again! For how long?” Liam demanded, cheeks flushed with anger as he looked over at him. “Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously?”   
  
“Liam. Just drop it.” Theo pleaded, his voice low and strained. “It was one time. He hasn’t hit me in months. This was just a bad night.”    
  
“I can’t believe you kept this from me. I’m your best friend!” Liam slammed his fist against the dashboard and Theo flinched, sucking in a breath. Liam’s face turned ashen as he looked over. “Theo-“   
  
“Don’t.” His voice raised in pitch and he cleared his throat immediately. “Just...I’m going to take you home. You should take your medicine and go to sleep.”   
  
“But you were going to stay the night...” Liam said slowly. “Theo, please. I didn’t mean to-“   
  
“We’re not having this discussion.” Theo said firmly as he released the steering wheel to start the car. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head to try and clear it as he backed out of the parking space. He reached for the radio and turned it on to fill the uncomfortable silence, wishing something would make Liam stop looking at him.    
  
By the time he’d dropped Liam off, he’d worked himself back into a mood. Anger and desperation sizzled under his skin and he couldn’t escape the sickening thoughts crawling around in his head. If even Liam felt aggressive towards him, maybe Theo himself was the problem. Maybe Liam didn’t want him around either. As he parked his truck back in his driveway, he swiped his hand across his eyes to try to stem the flow of tears. He slipped into his house almost noiselessly, a practice he’d become far too good at over the years. Thankfully, his father had passed out on the couch and showed no signs of stirring. He headed upstairs and grabbed his money and his packed bag before slipping back out, starting up his truck again. He was out of the driveway before he had time to really think about it and he was headed for the one place that wouldn’t judge him for his past. The bus terminal was mostly empty by now and Theo knew from his visits in the past that they’d only be running through Beacon Hills for the next two hours. He didn’t know how long he sat on a bench outside the terminal, but it was starting to get cold and they were making the final call for anyone attempting to buy a ticket. His phone buzzed in his lap and he looked down, not surprised to see Liam’s name flash alongside the text message.    
  
_ Don’t go. I’m sorry I got mad. Come over? _ __  
  
He let out a bitter laugh and typed out an acceptance before getting back to his feet, staring at the bus station stretched out before him. Shaking his head, he gripped the strap of his bag and turned to walk away. Just as he always did. When Liam called for him, he was helpless but to answer.

-

Theo sighed as he dragged the almost empty milkshake over to himself, batting at Liam as his friend tried to steal it back. “No,” he said firmly. “You drank most of it already, now let me have the rest.” 

“You could just buy me another milkshake.” Liam grumbled lightly, slouching back in the booth. “This is a date. You’re supposed to love me and cherish me.  _ Cherish _ , Theo.”

“I’m going to  _ cherish _ throwing the rest of this shake in your face if you don’t stop bitching at me.” Theo warned. He felt the tiniest smidgeon of guilt when Liam pouted. It wasn’t his friend’s fault that he was so irritable. The past week and a half had been filled with date nights and Theo’s wallet was starting to hurt from it all. Not that Jenna hadn’t given money to Liam to help pay for dates - Theo was fairly certain that she’d wanted the house to herself and Dr. Geyer on more than one occasion - but Theo had wanted to be a real gentleman. As exhausted as he was by going out every night, he also enjoyed it immensely. It meant a night outside of his hellhole of a home, a chance to be away from the abuses of an alcoholic father. Admittedly, some nights after he dropped Liam off he still had to drive around and wait for his father to fall asleep and, even then, sometimes he had to sneak in through his bedroom window. It was a song and dance that exhausted him to the core and he was still ticking down days on a calendar in his room until he’d find freedom. 231 days.

“You love me, you know you do.” Liam winked at him. From the table behind him, Theo could hear a couple of camera phones going off and one girl sighing dreamily. He rolled his eyes and flipped his friend off, smirking a little at his outraged look. Good. The only reason they were even going on these stupid dates in the first place were because others kept inviting them out to come hang out and Liam wanted to really sell their relationship to their peers. 

“Whatever you say,” Theo chuckled and drained the last of the shake. He pulled out his wallet, starting to pull out the last twenty on him when Liam snatched the check and set money down first.

“My treat.” Liam said, his cheeks turning pink when Theo raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t going to complain. It meant less risk getting caught stealing money from his father and a slimmer chance of getting another beatdown. He was pretty sure that his ribs couldn’t take another beating without at least fracturing a few of them, possibly breaking them. 

“Thanks.” Theo smiled fondly and got up, following Liam to the register where he paid for their meal. He took him by the hand on instinct as they walked out of the diner, swinging their hands lightly as they headed across the street to where he’d parallel parked. “Hey,” he stopped and tugged Liam back. “Want to do something else for a bit?”

“Something else like what?” Raising a brow, his best friend turned and he nodded down the street at the playground in the park. “You serious?”

“All dates should be a little fun, right?” Theo grinned. “Last one there has to push the other on a swing.” He said before dropping his hand and breaking into a run.

“Theo!” Liam’s laughter pealed out behind him and his heart skipped a beat at the sound. It didn’t take long for the other boy to overtake him, feet slapping heavily against the pavement as he passed by and sprinted through the grass. He reached the swingset a few yards from Theo, laughing as he threw himself onto one and kicked off. “I win!”

“I let you win.” Theo said, grinning as he finally caught up and stepped behind the swing. He grabbed the chains and leaned down, chin hooking over Liam’s shoulder for a moment before he kissed his cheek. He felt the skin warm beneath his lips and he smiled, shifting back and steadying his hands against Liam’s back. He started to push him as promised, feeling a joy spread through him that he hadn’t felt in ages. For just one night, everything felt perfect. There was nothing to be afraid of and, deep down, Theo knew that Liam was responsible for it. His friend anchored him, making him feel safe and grounded even when the rest of his world was in turmoil. He’d proven that after the incident at the bowling alley. It had taken some discussion to work through but he had opened himself up to the only person that he trusted with most parts of himself. 

Eventually the night had to come to an end, as all things did. Liam jumped from the swing and raced Theo back to his truck, eyes twinkling in mirth as they climbed back into his truck. “Best date yet,” Liam declared as he closed the door and reached for Theo’s hand as he started the vehicle. “Thanks. I needed that.” He smiled warmly.

“Sometimes it’s good to feel like a kid again.” Theo said, lacing their fingers without a thought. It didn’t matter that no one was watching them anymore. This was something he was used to, the comfort of holding hands and gentle touches that could be friendship but just as easily something more. 

“Best fake boyfriend ever,” Liam smirked at him and Theo’s chest constricted. Right. They were still just faking it. The rest of the ride passed in an easy silence and Theo was all too grateful when he dropped Liam off for the night. The front door had barely shut behind him before his phone was in his hand, calling the only person he could talk to freely about this. He didn’t get an answer and he cursed, dropping his phone into the passenger’s seat. It wasn’t until he was upstairs and getting ready for bed that his phone rang. He answered it with trembling fingers, swallowing hard. The truth was never easy. He was sure to hear an ‘ _ I told you so _ ’ somewhere in the conversation. 

“Mason, I fucked up.” Theo whispered into the receiver as he slid to the floor of his bathroom.    
  
“What happened?” The other boy asked, concern evident in his tone.    
  
“You were right. It was stupid to try and fake date Liam. I think I’m in love with him and I’m fucked. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I can’t love him, he’s straight and he’s my best friend. I can’t lose him.” Theo whined softly, screwing his eyes shut.    
  
“Don’t work yourself into a panic attack. Theo, maybe you should come clean and tell him.” Mason suggested softly. He let out an ugly, broken laugh in response.    
  
“Get real. Liam’s straight and he’ll turn me down.”   
  
“Maybe but that doesn’t mean the opposite couldn’t be true either. He could feel the same. Theo, you’re as close to Liam as I am. And the way he talks about you...he might be oblivious to it but I think he feels the same.”   
  
“How am I supposed to talk to him about this?” Theo asked softly.    
  
“Maybe you should show instead of tell. You guys have a dance coming up, right?”   
  
“Homecoming, yeah.” Theo frowned, wondering what he was thinking. “Mason...”   
  
“Buy him a ticket. Ask him to the dance and then ask him to date you for real. He could say no but at least you’d have an answer and you could say you tried. Do you really want to live and never know what could have been and always regret this moment?”   
  
“No,” Theo admitted. “I guess I can give that a shot. You’re sure about the dance?”   
  
“You know Liam loves a good spotlight.” Mason chuckled. Theo hummed in agreement and exhaled slowly. Maybe Mason was right. If anyone knew Liam better than him, he would be the one to know. Mason had three years longer being Liam’s first best friend. Theo had never held it against him or felt jealous about it. Mason was an incredible guy and, admittedly, one of Theo’s first crushes when he’d started to realize he was gay. The feeling had passed within a couple of weeks and Theo had approached Mason with his own conflicted feelings not long after. The other boy had immediately done everything to help him come to terms with his sexuality and he didn’t feel so alone. If Mason was good at anything, then it was at giving other people advice.

“We’ve got a party tomorrow night.” He said softly. “You think I should ask him before that?”

“Nah. Wait until you’re at school or something and ask him at lunch. Then he can’t run away from you or try and be stupid with alcohol. Not that I think he will,” Mason added quickly at Theo’s distressed noise. “He’ll totally say yes. But it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this kind of thing, you know what I mean?”

“Right.” Theo sighed and picked himself up off of the bathroom floor, rubbing at his eyes. “Thanks Mason, I appreciate the advice. How are things going with Corey?” He asked.

“Dude. I’m totally in love with this guy, he’s amazing. Pretty sure he was made for me or something like that.” He could practically hear the smile in Mason’s voice. “Did you know he’s taking me to the planetarium next weekend? All because I mentioned when we first started talking about how much I love the sky. He’s actually been doing research for applications for internships when I get to college. Things that will help me stand out for NASA when I’m ready to go there.”

“That’s amazing. I’m happy for you, man.” Theo said softly. “Hey, did Liam tell you about the new gay couple at our school? Apparently the captain of the lacrosse team and the quarterback have a thing for each other. They’re supposed to be asking each other to the dance. Actually, the quarterback and I are kind of friends now? So he’s been telling me about how he wants to, like, bake cupcakes or something. He also wants to have balloons and I think he’s trying to convince the jazz band to help him out? The details don’t make a ton of sense to me.” He chuckled and flipped off the bathroom light, heading into his bedroom. 

“That’s great! You should just look up videos of cheesy ways to ask people to dances and send them all his way. Maybe he’ll get inspired and he will actually come up with a better plan that’s more detailed.” Mason said. “I should get going though. Corey’s about to call me in a few minutes. You good?”

“I am. Thanks, seriously. I appreciate it.” He said softly. “You’re a great friend, Mason.”

“Don’t I know it.” The other boy chuckled. “But Theo? Just remember to relax and have fun. Liam...he’s totally into you. He might be a blind idiot, but it’s true. You two are practically head over heels and you have been for a while, even if you’re just now realizing it. So take a chance and ask him to the dance. The worst he can say is no.” Mason said before bidding him a good night. The line clicked dead and Theo plugged in his phone to charge before flopping face first onto his bed. He rolled and dragged the covers with himself, bundling up as his eyes drifted shut. He could do this. All he had to do was buy tickets toward the end of the week and then ask Liam to go with him. Even if he turned him down as a date, maybe someone else would be willing to go with him. Hayden was nice enough and he liked her okay. Worst case scenario, he’d ask her to go or pawn the tickets off to someone else. With a plan in mind, he finally let the last of the tension bleed from his body and fell quickly into sleep. 

-

Theo hated parties. He still wasn’t quite sure how Liam has managed to drag him into this but he couldn’t complain. His best friend looked happier than Theo has seen him over the past few days. For once, people knew their names. People were high fiving Liam and calling him over to hang out and Theo was helpless but to follow him. He knew that he needed to relax so he found himself detaching from Liam, going into the kitchen to grab a couple of drinks. He avoided the group of jocks and cheerleaders in the corner of the kitchen and picked up two empty cups, going to the counter. There was beer and a mixture of punch and vodka so he chose the latter, knowing Liam would prefer it. 

He made his way back through the crowd and slid into the empty space behind his boyfriend, presenting him with the cup while Liam was mid-story. Smiling, the younger boy turned and pressed a fond kiss to his cheek before thanking him in a soft voice. It did something funny to Theo’s chest and he had to clamp down, remind himself that none of this was real and that he wasn’t allowed to develop feelings for his best friend. Rule one, never fall for a straight man but especially if he is your best friend. Theo couldn’t afford to lose the one person he cared about the most. Just the thought was enough to make his skin crawl and so he pressed in close to Liam, arm curling around his waist as he hooked his chin over his shoulder. It was easy to be tactile with him, they’d also been close and shared gentle touches and fond looks. The only difference was now there was an expectation behind it, a stage they are dancing on in front of the world and Theo had to watch every step. 

“Hey boys,” Hayden greeted as she walked over and joined the pair. Theo nodded in acknowledgement while Liam beamed, greeting her warmly. “Are you two having fun? You’ve never really come to this kind of thing before.” Her gaze drifted over them, lingering on Theo’s arm around Liam’s waist, and he fought down the urge to blush. 

“Liam wanted to come so we did.” He shrugged one shoulder, feigning a casual nature that he wasn’t really feeling. If anything, his anxiety was heightened under the scrutiny of a somewhat friend. Liam’s fingers gently brushed over his wrist, warm blue eyes turning to meet his own. “You know I’d do anything for you.” He aimed for a lighter tone and missed the mark, judging by the soft ‘aw’ that escaped Hayden and the way that Liam’s eyes widened. The words carried a weight to them that Theo wasn’t sure he could take back. Not that he intended to. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Liam huffed as he brushed a tender kiss along Theo’s jaw. “You know you can’t just say things like that. It makes me fall for you even more.”

“You two are sickening and I need you to stop.” Hayden said, unable to keep her smile down as she watched them. “Come on. There are games out back and I need a partner for cornhole. Liam, you promised.” She grabbed his wrist and he was gone from Theo’s arm, throwing a helpless little smile over his shoulder as he reached out and caught his hand. Laughing softly, Theo released the last bit of tension from his shoulders and followed after the pair.

The party went more smoothly than Theo had expected. He abstained from drinking, reserving the second cup for Liam when he had finished his first, and he actually enjoyed himself a little. Everyone was friendly, even if they just wanted to know about their relationship, but Liam hadn’t stopped smiling and Theo felt like he were basking in the warmth of the sun each time it was directed at him. He didn’t play any of the drinking games but Liam was able to let loose, proving that he was actually skilled when it came to things like that and that he wasn’t quite the loser he’d been labeled as being for so long. It was easy to see how everyone gravitated toward the young man. He talked with his hands and his passion exploded with every word that fell from his lips, even when discussing trivial matters. He was so damn smart and Theo was proud to not only have an amazing best friend, but to be able to see this side of him and be able to share it with the world. Liam deserved the recognition for being such a wonderful person and Theo knew that he was walking down a dangerous path, his heart fluttering every so often when Liam squeezed his hand or turned to ask for his input.

He was breaking the number one rule and falling in love with his straight best friend. Shit.

-

Theo knew it was going to happen eventually. It was really only a matter of time before his entire world came crashing down on him. In retrospect, it’s his fault for letting it get this far to begin with. He never should have agreed to fake dating his best friend, not when he’d known there was a risk of real feelings getting in the way. But Liam didn’t get it. Or if he did, he pretended not to notice. They’d had their share of fake dates, of hangouts with Mason and Corey, the only real gay couple that they knew, and Theo had been floating for the past month and a half. He should have known that a good thing like this could never last when it was just a pretty lie.

It was like any other Friday morning when the floor came out from under him. He was staring at fliers for the ever approaching homecoming dance, fingers tapping lightly against his thigh as he considered the prices before him. He had the money to buy two tickets. But he hadn’t asked Liam if he’d wanted to go. There was a difference between being seen in the park on a picnic or at the bowling alley and this...this felt intimate. It felt real. What if Liam turned him down? “Stupid fake boyfriend,” he muttered to himself.

“Stupid fake what?” A girl asked from behind him. He froze, feeling as though someone had frozen the blood inside of his veins. “Are you...are you talking about Liam?” She asked, her lips pursed in a thin line as he turned slowly to face her. “I knew it!”

“You’ve got it all wrong-” he started, trying to swallow down the unease creeping through him. It felt all too close to vomit as the girl spun away from him and cupped her hands around her mouth.

“They’re faking it!” She yelled down the crowded hallway. Half of the heads turned curiously in their direction and Theo wanted to die on the spot. “I told you! Theo Raeken and Liam Dunbar aren’t dating! He said so himself!”

“I didn’t-” Theo started but the damage had been done. Stunned gazes locked on him and he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He turned away and pushed off from the wall, his hands beginning to shake as he scanned the crowd to find Liam. He had to find him, he had to try and make things right before it escalated and reached him. Fumbling with his phone, he ripped it from his pocket and hit speed dial. It went straight to voicemail and he cursed, remembering that Liam had mentioned his phone being off the charger all night. “Dammit, Liam,” he whispered as the bell rang for the minute warning to get to class. He pushed his way through the throng of bodies, reaching Liam’s classroom just as the door swung shut. He jiggled the doorknob and cursed through his teeth, watching through the slim pane of glass as a couple of girls rounded on Liam. He looked up and locked eyes with Theo, shock and hurt rippling through his expression.

“Mr. Raeken!” A voice called sharply. He turned to look at the assistant principal, tears welling up in his eyes as the man walked closer. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s your third tardy this week. Detention this afternoon, one hour.” He said, tearing a strip of paper from his notebook and handing it over. Theo locked a scream behind his teeth and stormed to the bathroom, locking himself inside a stall and sinking to the floor as he buried his face in his hands. What had he done?

He stayed like that until the end of class, thankful that it was the last one of the day. No one came into the bathroom and he was able to calm himself back down, fighting off panic attacks that made him dizzy. Normally he would have texted Liam in the middle of a bad one but he couldn’t do that. Not when he’d brought this pain upon himself. For all he knew, Liam hated him. He couldn’t blame him either. It had been a simple slip-up and now Liam was going to pay the price. He would lose the popularity that he’d come to love and Theo was to blame. In one quiet breath he’d taken everything from Liam and turned his classmates against him. But maybe he didn’t have to be attacked for it…

Just before the final bell rang, Theo made his way to the front office. He convinced Hayden to give him a moment at the end of the afternoon announcements and he listened to her recite the bus changes before she called his name, sliding the microphone over to him as she continued to hold the button. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, trying to hide the tremor in his hands as he reached to grip the microphone. “Hey guys,” he said softly. “Most of you probably know my name by now. If you don’t, then you haven’t been paying attention these past few weeks. My name is Theo Raeken and I pretended to date Liam Dunbar to become popular.” He closed his eyes, biting down on his quivering lip. “Liam didn’t want to date me. He is... _ was _ my best friend. I don’t know if that’s true anymore. But I was obsessed with becoming popular. People thought we were a couple and I begged Liam to go along with it. If you’re going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. He just did what I asked because he’s an incredible friend. So just...hate me for what I did. But not Liam.” He said before stepping back, tears clouding his vision. 

“Theo-” Hayden started, reaching hesitantly for him.

“I have to go.” Theo shook his head and rushed for the door, ignoring the various cries of his name and taunts of his classmates as the bell rang and the halls were flooded. He didn’t stop until he reached the detention room, turning into the classroom to find Liam waiting for him. “Li-” The name was halfway out of his mouth when the other boy lunged forward, striking him in the jaw. His face was flushed with anger, tears of his own filling his eyes as he stared at Theo.

“Is that what you think of me?” Liam snarled, trembling as he clenched and unclenched his fist. “You thought I was obsessed with becoming popular? That I used you that way? Was I the bad guy, Theo? Is that how you’ve felt all this time?” He hissed, spitting the words as though they were venom on his tongue. Theo flinched back, fingers cradling his jaw as he stared at his former best friend. 

“That’s not what I thought at all. Liam, please. Just listen to me-”

“Why should I listen to you?” Liam demanded, swiping the back of his hand across his eyes. “You could have said no, Theo! You didn’t have to paint me as the bad guy. I never forced you to do anything-”

“That’s not why I said that!” Theo shouted, surprising them both with his outburst. “I said it because I didn’t want anyone to blame you. I don’t want everyone else mad at you, Liam. You don’t deserve that.”

“Why the fuck do you care?” Liam snapped, shifting in agitation as he stared down the other boy. “You were just my fake boyfriend, you don’t have to pretend like it was real.”

“I wanted it to be!” Theo exploded, his chest heaving as he stared at Liam. He stumbled back, shaking fingers lifting to cover his mouth. “Fuck. Fuck, I’m so sorry-”

“You wanted it to be what?” Liam asked quietly, taking a half step closer to him. “To be...real? Theo, I’m straight. So are you.”

“I’m not.” Theo forced himself to lower his hand and swallow back the bile creeping up his throat. “Fuck, Liam. I’m so stupidly in love with you. Every bit of this was real for me. I’m gay. I didn’t tell you because it didn’t matter...and I was just coming to terms with it. Then we started fake dating and I just...I couldn’t go back. Telling you would have made things weird and I couldn’t lose our friendship. You matter more to me than some stupid crush and I told myself I’d get over it.”

“I can’t.” Liam swallowed hard and stepped toward the door, moving in a wide arc around Theo. “You’re gay. I’m not. I pretended because it was easy but...I can’t love you.” He whispered. “I’m not even sure I can be friends with you anymore.” He confessed before walking out, leaving Theo alone in the tiny room. Tears welled fresh in his eyes and he sobbed softly, turning and punching the desk behind him. His knuckles cracked sickeningly with the third hit and he clutched his bleeding hand to his chest, shaking his head mutely as the teacher finally arrived and asked if everything was okay. She saw his knuckles and forced him to take a seat, calling the front office to report the incident as Theo broke down and cried. He’d lost Liam, the only person that he cared about who coincidentally had given half a damn about him. Now there was no one. 

Somehow, Theo hadn’t managed to break his knuckles. He’d managed a hairline fracture on one, finding out after a quick x-ray and a 3-hour wait in the lobby of the emergency room. His father had been less than pleased at having to come and pick him up, scowling as he lectured him for being so clumsy and such a stupid child. He’d ignored him and put his headphones in, silently crying in the backseat as he drove them home. Thankfully it was the weekend and he didn’t have to face any of his classmates. Usually this time was spent hanging out with Liam and their friends but he knew that he’d lost the right to hanging out with them after this catastrophe.

Theo spent the weekend moping around the house, cleaning and doing his chores without having to be told. His father had been thrown from the start, not used to not having something to yell at him about. He’d tried to nitpick and all will to fight back had been drained. Eventually he’d grown bored of trying to bait his son and he’d gone back to drinking, passing out on the couch for most of the time. Theo didn’t mind the solitude. With Tara away at college and his father passed out, it gave him time to think. He kept his phone turned off for the weekend and he locked himself inside of his head. He couldn’t escape his inner demons, no matter how hard he tried. Liam had always been his anchor, the person that grounded him when it came to things like this. But without Liam he was lost, floating in the dark abyss of his mind.

Monday morning came and Theo’s head was killing him. He hadn’t slept, he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten, and panic clawed his insides as he parked in the school lot. Distasteful looks were thrown his way and he ducked his head, shoving trembling hands into his pockets as he headed to his first class. By the powers that be, he managed to avoid Liam and make it into class without incident. He wasn’t surprised when his lab table partner left him for another group, leaving him alone at the back of the room. He put his head down and drifted, slipping in and out of consciousness as the teacher droned on in front of the class. When the bell rang, his stomach twisted in nausea and he was barely out of the door before the sickness seized him. He slumped against the wall and swallowed down bile, shivering as he made his way to the bathroom and collapsed in one of the stalls. As he hit his knees, his fingers clenched around the porcelain bowl and he dry heaved while tremors wracked his body. 

He flushed and slouched back against the wall, tipping his head to the side so the cool wall touched his heated skin. He didn’t have the energy to get back up and so he stayed there, drifting in a state of dizziness until someone knocked on the stall door. “Theo? Are you in there?” Someone asked softly. The nurse, he thought.

“I’m fine…” He mumbled, pushing against the wall and getting to his feet. He swayed and unlocked the door, pitching forward as his legs buckled. The older man barely caught him before he was calling for help. Theo let himself get lost in the darkness, stirring briefly through interludes of sirens and chatter of people standing over him. He woke to find himself in a hospital bed, an IV connected to his arm and a nurse smiling down at him. “What happened?” He asked quietly, struggling to sit up.

“You had a nasty fall, Mr. Raeken. You were severely dehydrated and it looks like you have a nasty sinus infection. You shouldn’t have gone to school today.” She informed him. “The doctor will be in with you shortly. He’s making his rounds.” She said, patting him on the arm before leaving the room. Theo swallowed hard and looked around, his gaze freezing on the whiteboard that stated Dr. Geyer would be the attending doctor. He sat up, head spinning from the abrupt movement, and began to scratch and claw at his IV. The machines around him whirred into a frenzy, rapid beeps and warnings filling the space around him as he struggled to draw in breath. He had to get out. 

“Theo!” A firm voice called his name but he ignored it, whining pitifully as someone grabbed his hand and stopped him. “Nurse! I need the sedative!”

“No please, no.” Theo mumbled, too weak to fight back as a needle was pushed into his arm. The last thing he saw was David’s concerned gaze floating over him and then darkness. 

“Get up,” a voice tugged at the edge of his consciousness. His brow furrowed and he woke up, grimacing as he saw his father standing at the foot of his bed. “We’re leaving.”

“Sir, I recommend that he stays a few more hours.” David’s voice floated from Theo’s side and he turned his head, wincing slightly. “He needs to rest. At the very least, he should take a few days off from school to rest and recover. I’m prescribing medicine for his infection and a recommendation that he sees a counselor.”

“Fine. Now let me sign the damn discharge papers,” his father grumbled. David sighed and led him from the room, nodding at the nurse to help Theo. He found himself being set in a wheelchair, his head still spinning a little as she wheeled him to the front lobby where his father was waiting. As the man tightly gripped his shoulder and wheeled him out, Theo bowed his head in submission and swallowed hard.

Things went as well as expected. He had a few new bruises to try and hide, but at least he could wear sweaters and long pants without question now that fall was settling in around them. He ended up back at school on Thursday, the nurse pulling him aside to check on him before he made it very far into the building. By the time he was finally released to class, it was halfway through the period and every eye was on him as he shuffled awkwardly to the back of the room. He did his best not to back down and got out what he needed for class, talking quietly with the teacher as they attempted to get him caught up for the past few lessons he had missed.

His second class went a little smoother. To avoid potential conflicts, Theo took the longest route possible to his class and kept his mouth firmly fixed in a line so he wasn’t tempted to talk as whispers trailed after him. He didn’t need to explain himself to these people. Their sympathy and disdain came from a place of hate and he didn’t want to be a part of that. He plugged in his headphones as the bell rang for lunch and made his way to the cafeteria, halfway to his usual table before he stopped cold in his tracks. He couldn’t return to the others. Liam...he couldn’t face the blue-eyed boy. He swallowed hard and turned, prepared to leave when he knocked shoulders with someone. Groaning softly, he lifted his hand to his bruised ribs and exhaled slowly. “Sorry,” he looked up and felt like his blood had turned to ice.

“Theo.” Liam said softly, his brows drawing together in confusion. “Are you o-”

“Excuse me.” Theo brushed past him before he could finish his question, tears burning in his eyes. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t face his former best friend, knowing that the other boy didn’t want to be friends with him anymore. His phone buzzed and he fished it from his pocket, surprised to find Liam’s name flashing at him across the screen. Anger burned in him and he ignored the call, clenching his jaw as he headed to the library. At least there he could eat his lunch in silence. 

The next day passed in a similar fashion, Theo avoiding Liam at every turn. People gave him a wide berth of space and for lunch, he managed to find an empty table in the cafeteria hidden from the main view. No one bothered him and Liam didn’t come to him, despite seeing him across the cafeteria. Once, Theo had thought he was getting up, but then Hayden had touched Liam’s arm and he’d been drawn back into the conversation. Theo had thrown out the remainder of his lunch and hurried off after that, unable to stomach it. 

Try as he might, Theo couldn’t avoid Liam for much longer. Saturday night fell upon them before long and Theo had made up his mind. After a shouting match with his father, screaming and trading blows with the deranged drunk, Theo was finished. He grabbed the bag packed under his bed and slipped out his window, heading for the bus station with the few hundred dollars that he’d saved up over the years. It was time for a change. He couldn’t stay in this town where his only family wanted him dead and his support system had crumbled into dust. His hands shook the entire way to the bus station and his tattered sweatshirt did little to shield him from the biting autumn air. Swallowing hard and blinking back tears, he stepped into the bus depot and approached the counter. 

“Hello there,” an elderly woman smiled from behind the pane of glass that separated them. “How can I help you today?” 

“I’d like a ticket to the farthest city from Beacon Hills. Anywhere.” He said softly. “Price doesn’t matter.”

“Are you sure?” The woman frowned. “Young man-”

“He’s not.” Liam’s voice cut in from behind Theo, dousing his veins in icy water. He tensed and kept completely still, trying not to breathe as Liam stepped up to his side. “He’s not going anywhere. Sorry to interrupt you.” He cleared his throat. “Come on, Theo.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He pursed his lips in a thin line.

“Then I’m going with you.” Liam pulled out his wallet, setting it on the counter. Anger churned violently through him and Theo turned, his jaw clenching as pain caused his muscles to spasm. Something must have shown on his face because Liam faltered, reaching for him. “Theo-”

“Don’t.” Theo snapped, stepping away from the counter. “You gave up that right. We aren’t together.” He reminded coldly, turning on his heel and storming across the lobby. He sank unsteadily onto a bench, tears pooling in his eyes as Liam’s feet appeared in his blurred vision. The other boy sat without a word, leaning forward on his elbows as Theo started to cry softly. He wanted to scream but exhaustion was weighing him down and he’d had enough.

“I’m sorry.” Liam said softly. “I know that I fucked up. I’ve been trying to find a way to make it up to you and I can’t. There are no right words to say and what you did for me in front of the school...you put everything on the line for me. I didn’t appreciate that or consider what you might be facing for that. You’re my best friend and you were trying to protect me. And...I love you.” 

Theo let out a bitter laugh, looking up at him as the first few tears fell. “Don’t. Don’t feel sorry for me because I fell in love with you. I’m an idiot and I’m sorry and we don’t ever have to talk about it again. But don’t tell me things you think I want to hear. I can’t take that.”

“It’s the truth. I...I realized I can’t picture my life without you in it. As my best friend, as my boyfriend...I want you. I didn’t know it until you weren’t there. Dad said you were in the hospital because you were so sick and I knew you weren’t taking care of yourself. Fuck, you were just willing to waste away and it was because of me. Because I wasn’t there to help you and I hate myself for pushing you away.”

“Not everything is about you. Everything is wrong right now. Dad...dad doesn’t really want me around anymore either and I’d had enough. Of this stupid town, of seeing you around, of being the social outcast...I’m tired of being a burden to everyone.” Theo whispered, all fight draining from his as his shoulders slumped forward.

“You’re not a burden. Not to me.” Liam reached over and Theo let him take his hand, squeezing it tightly. “Come home with me? Please? We can fix up the guest room and you can stay for the rest of senior year. Mom would love to have you. I can’t do this without you anymore. I love you, Theo.” He shifted to face him and leaned in, warm breath puffing over Theo’s lips. “Tell me this is okay.”

“I couldn’t imagine a better first kiss.” Theo smiled nervously and let Liam kiss him, wincing and pulling back almost immediately. He squeezed Liam’s hand tightly, a weak laugh slipping through his teeth as he smiled apologetically at the other boy. “Sorry. I’m a little banged up. Give it a few days.”

“Let’s go home.” Liam laced their fingers and they stood, Theo wincing slightly as pain flared up in his side. “Remind me why I haven’t gone after that bastard yet,” he grumbled as they walked slowly from the bus depot. Theo leaned into him and closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly as Liam led them across the parking lot. 

“It’s not worth it. I’ll be 18 soon enough and he won’t be able to touch me again. Just another month.” He opened his eyes as he heard Liam free his keys from his pocket and looked up in surprise. He hadn’t expected Liam to have driven all the way out there. “How’d you figure out where I was?” He asked softly.

“Theo. We’ve been best friends for a long time. I always know where you are when you aren’t in a good headspace. I knew you’d be here eventually so I’ve come every night. Since you weren’t answering my texts and calls and I couldn’t ever get you alone at school.” Liam smiled weakly and helped Theo into his seat, leaning in and pressing a tender kiss to his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll call mom and let her know that you’re coming.” He assured before closing the door. Theo buckled himself in and tried to get comfortable, biting the inside of his cheek. His ribs ached and throbbed as the vehicle started and by the time they had reached the Geyer house, he was pale and a light sweat had broken out across his skin.

Theo didn’t say anything, fumbling with the door handle as he unbuckled himself. Liam wa around the car in a heartbeat, grabbing his arm to steady him before leading him up to the house. “Hey, I’ve got you.” He whispered softly as Theo leaned into him. Together they crossed the threshold into the Geyer house and Jenna was immediately there, helping him to the kitchen table where a bottle of painkillers and a glass of water were waiting. The microwave beeped and David returned a moment later with a bowl of soup, squeezing Theo’s shoulder gently as he set it down in front of him.

“Here, son.” The words made tears well up in Theo’s eyes as he looked up at the pair of concerned eyes watching him. 

“Thank you,” he croaked out before taking the pills. He chased them with water and squirmed under Jenna’s intense stare, looking up at her with tearful eyes. “I’m sorry. I know that we lied to you and you are probably mad at us and I’m so sorry.”

“Sweetheart. Liam told me what you did at school. I think that was so incredibly brave of you and I am so proud of you for trying to take the blame for my son and his idiotic plan. I don’t care that you lied. You care about my son and you love him despite his faults and that’s what I care about. And I know he loves you too. You might not have been dating for real at the time but the evidence was still there. You were in love with him from the start.” She smoothed her hand down over his hair and leaned down, kissing the top of his head. “And then your father….” her gaze darkened slightly. “He’s never going to lay a hand on you again, Theo. I promise you that. You’re welcome to the guest bedroom for as long as you need. I’ll even go with you to get your stuff this weekend. You’re officially one of us, kiddo. Welcome to the Geyer family.” Jenna smiled and Theo broke down, tears rolling freely down his cheeks as he leaned into her waiting embrace. David and Liam wrapped around him as well and for the first time in ages, Theo felt like he was truly home.

-

“You ready for this?” Liam asked as he squeezed Theo’s hand. The two were standing in front of the school, ready to take on the world after a difficult couple of weeks. Theo had moved into the Geyer spare bedroom with little difficulty, Jenna firmly putting his father in his place while threatening to call the cops. He’d agreed to let Theo go with little argument and Theo had never felt more relieved. He’d packed the essentials and found himself the newest member of the Geyer family, having a bedroom of his own in a place that he truly belonged. The past few days had been about settling in and making sure he had everything he needed while also getting caught up on school work. He’d thought it would be weird moving in with his boyfriend and his parents but things felt mostly the same. They’re cohabitating under one roof and Liam has assured him multiple times that even if their relationship starts to crumble in on itself, he isn’t going to let their friendship dissolve as a result. 

Today felt different. This was their first time addressing the school publically as an actual couple. The past couple of weeks had been draining, the pair going around and making apologies to everyone they had deceived. They had been lucky that the jocks were leaving them alone, mostly thanks to warnings from Brett and Josh to their respective teams. Surprisingly, things went over better than either of them had anticipated. Liam had the most difficulty smoothing things over with people and after asking Hayden about it, it became apparent that people had believed Theo’s love for Liam was real the entire time. She’d told him the longing looks were painfully obvious before then, so the pair being a couple had only been a stretch on Liam’s end. There had been a lot of groveling to her but she’d forgiven them both after giving them an earful.

“I hate dances,” Theo sighed as he glanced at his boyfriend.

“You hate everything,” Liam reminded with a patient smile. “This is our first real date. I thought you’d like this.”

“I wanted to do it because I knew  _ you’d _ like it.” Theo admitted, fond smile creeping up slowly. “Also, need I remind you that all of our fake dates were real for me? My feelings were legit. You can ask Mason for proof.”

“My best friend  _ knew _ you were into me and he didn’t tell me? That bastard!” Liam huffed, jutting his lip out. Theo couldn’t resist leaning in and kissing him, grinning widely against his lips and ruining it.

“He did. He knew before I ever did. We talked about it at the movie marathon.” He said, leaning his forehead briefly against Liam’s. “I will do my very best to enjoy the dance. I might not care much about the rest of these people but you? You make me happy in the midst of the craziness that is my life. So even if tonight is the worst dance in the history of dances, I’ll have fun because I’m spending time with you.”

“I’m dating an absolute sap.” Liam smirked, laughing softly as Theo’s cheeks dusted pink. “Theo. You totally are, you can’t even deny it.  You bought me a  _ corsage _ for this stupid dance. You asked my mom to help you buy one that would match my eyes.”

“I fucking hate you. I’m breaking up with you now.” Theo said, blushing furiously as he shoved Liam back a few steps. Ignoring the other boy’s cackling, he stormed towards the gymnasium where the dance was being held. He made it inside before he finally stopped to wait, scowling as Liam popped up beside him looking positively gleeful. 

“Forgot I had the tickets, didn’t you?” He grinned and wormed his arm around Theo’s, bringing it tightly against his side. “You can’t get rid of me so easily, Teddy.”

“Fuck off.” Theo said, adjusting Liam’s hold on his arm so it was more comfortable. “Wipe the smile off your ugly mug and get the tickets out.” He added as they approached the table where a couple of teachers were checking people in. 

“You say the most romantic things to me.” Liam laughed and fished the tickets out of his pockets, presenting them to the woman sitting at the check-in table. She checked their names on her list and waved them inside. “Ready?”

“To be a spectacle with you? Always.” Theo covered Liam’s hand on his arm with his own and they stepped through the open doorway, hearts racing in unison. They made their way slowly pass the cheesy photo booth with a prop box and ridiculous banners and balloons, curving around the edge of the dance floor to find the refreshments table. A few heads turned as they passed, but most didn’t seem to care. Theo was grateful that their peers had decided to mind their own business. 

“You still okay?” Liam asked softly, glancing over at him as he filled a plate with snacks for them to share. 

“Fine. I think there’s a table free over there,” he nodded back in the direction that they had come. He disentangled his arm to grab two cups of punch for them and turned, following Liam. They were almost at the table when a vaguely familiar voice called out to them.

“Ey! Theo! Liam!” Josh Diaz’s voice carried over the music and Theo flinched as what felt like half of the school turned to stare at them.

“I take it back. I wanna go home,” he muttered as Liam began tugging him over toward the captain of the football team. “Liam,” he whined under his breath to the other boy. 

“Hey fellow gays,” Josh greeted as he gestured at the empty spaces at the table, “take a seat.”

“I’m bi,” Brett corrected with an annoyed eye roll. “This is bi erasure at its finest and I won’t stand for it.”

“Shut up and eat your cake,” Josh dipped his fingers in his punch and lightly flicked a few drops over at him. “Consider us your protective squad for the night.”

“Thanks, but we don’t need protection.” Theo said, gritting his teeth.

“What my idiotic boyfriend  _ means _ is that we’re just trying to look out for you guys. And for Hayden and her date for the night.” Brett said, flicking his gaze across the gym where two girls were dancing together. “Not that you need bodyguards. Just with the high number of threats Liam’s been getting and all…”

“Threats?” Theo asked, turning and narrowing his gaze at his boyfriend. Liam was suddenly much more interested in the chips on his plate, refusing to look up at him. “Liam. We fucking talked about keeping secrets, man.”

“Sorry,” Josh sounded anything but apologetic. “It wasn’t just to him. You seriously didn’t have any harsh letters or warnings not to show your ‘faggy’ face at the dance?”

“No but I don’t visit my locker a ton.” Theo frowned. “Liam usually gets my books for me since he’s closer.”

“I can or cannot confirm whether or not I broke into your locker and removed questionable notes that may or may not have been mildly or explicitly rude.” Liam picked at the corner of a napkin, tearing off tiny pieces. 

“How bad were these threats?” Theo asked, shifting his gaze to look over at the two athletes. 

“The usual ‘go burn in hell’ and ‘your kind doesn’t belong here’ and all. Like...I think one note was about punching me in the face,” Brett replied. “We just reported the notes and ignored it all. No one’s said anything to our faces.”

“Why did you keep this from me?” Theo asked as he glanced at his boyfriend.

“Because if you thought we were in danger at all, you wouldn’t want to come and I didn’t want you to miss out on this. It’s more than just a dance and our first date. It’s standing up against shitty people and refusing to back down and they’re all wrong anyways.” Liam looked up, his gaze fierce. “They’re just words. No one is stupid enough to try anything here. No one tried anything when we were faking it.” He pointed out. 

“And there’s strength in numbers.” Josh added, leaning forward on the table. “So just relax and enjoy yourselves.”

“But...why was Liam targeted so heavily? You said he was getting the brunt of it.” Theo said slowly. 

“I said he was getting a lot of them. But, well, it’s kind of obvious?” Josh shrugged one shoulder. “You might have tried to cover for him but the truth came out and we all know he’s the one who wanted popularity. Theo, you hate social events. We aren’t even friends and I know that about you. Everyone does. You’re the last person to want a spotlight on you. So Liam’s been getting shit for it because not only was he an awful friend for it, but the closeted kids at school are not huge fans of him right now.”

“And how do you know so much of this?” He narrowed his gaze. 

“Through me.” Brett chimed in. “Liam’s been talking to me about joining the team in the spring. Then he asked for some advice.”

“You want to play lacrosse?” Theo frowned at his boyfriend.

“Not yet. Maybe? I think it could be fun,” his cheeks flushed lightly. “Even if I ride the bench the whole season, why not try? At least I know I wouldn’t get bullied on the team.”

“We have a pretty big zero tolerance policy when it comes to that shit.” Josh explained. “But, as much as I love the conversation we’re having, my favorite song is playing and I will be pissed if I can’t dance to it. Brett, let’s go.” He pushed up from the table and his date chuckled, standing and taking his outstretched hand. “Be back later,” Josh said before dragging Brett out onto the dance floor.

“Are you mad at me? Did I screw up again?” Liam asked Theo softly as he turned to face him. “I just didn’t want you getting all upset and worried. I wanted tonight to be enjoyable for both of us. They never should have said anything.”

“I’m glad they did since you weren’t going to.” Theo sighed softly. “Liam. I love you. I appreciate you going above and beyond to protect me but that isn’t necessary. I can take care of myself, I’m a big boy. Some idiotic notes aren’t going to keep me from being with you. I’m in love with you, dork.” He leaned in, softly pressing their lips together. When he pulled back, Liam couldn’t help but smile widely. 

“Thanks. I’m sorry I kept this from you. I’ll do my best to stop keeping things and talk to you when stuff happens. This was a one time thing.” He promised. “Now, can we go and enjoy the dance? Actually spend some time on the dance floor?”

“Only because you look great right now and I’m betting you’d look even better under the strobe lights.” Theo joked lightly, leaning in to kiss his nose. He pushed back from the table and stood, offering his hand to Liam. Lacing their fingers together, he led him slowly out onto the floor with their peers. He ended up with his hands on Liam’s waist, the other boy’s arms wrapped loosely around his neck. “This okay?” 

“Perfect.” Liam hummed and leaned in, resting his head on Theo’s shoulder and adjusting his arm so it rested off the side of Theo’s arm. “Thanks for agreeing to this tonight.” He murmured, smiling to himself as he closed his eyes and swayed slightly from side to side with his boyfriend. 

“The least I could do for my boyfriend.” Theo brushed a kiss to his forehead and held him close. “You know, this might be a perfect first date for us. I kind of like having you in my arms.” He smiled down at the smaller boy and felt his chest shake with a quiet laugh. 

“Sap,” Liam whispered. Theo nodded and hummed his agreement, turning them in perfect sync with the slow song. He glanced around the gym slowly, subconsciously tightening his hold on Liam. He had no idea what the coming weeks or the rest of the year would hold for them. With his eighteenth birthday in just a few days though, he had some things in mind. 

-

“You sure this is what you want to do?” Liam asked as they stood outside of the small brick building. Theo squared his shoulders and nodded, studying the neon letters that told him the establishment was open.  _ Hale’s Ink _ hung above their heads in wide arcing letters and he took a deep breath, lifting his chin as he reached for the door handle. He’d made the appointment a week prior and now he was ready. 

“Let’s do this.” He smiled faintly at Liam and held the door for him, letting his boyfriend step into the shop first. A heavily bearded and tattooed man was leaning on the counter, chatting with a young woman with a bright pink mohawk. He approached the counter and pulled out the small card with his appointment reservation, setting it on the countertop as the conversation came to a close. “Sorry to interrupt,” he began, “but I have an appointment. It’s with Kira?”

“She’s on her break right now but she should be back in five minutes.” The man replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can take you back to her area though if you’re ready. Just need to see some ID first.” Theo nodded and pulled out his wallet, sliding his driver’s license across the counter. The man hummed and nodded after picking it up, flipping it over a couple of times before handing it back. “Good. Come around the corner and follow me.” He said, pointing through a small red curtain. Theo took Liam by the hand and tucked his wallet away, doing as told. He followed the man down to the last closed off space and took a seat in the chair as instructed, trying to take a breath as he looked around.

Pictures of various tattoos painted the walls, weaving between framed photos of his tattoo artist on a roller derby team. It was amazing to see the woman he now saw as blue-haired with different hair colors, a bright smile on her face. She had several photos of her dog and two cats, one photo of her boyfriend with his arms tightly around her as they kissed. It made him smile to see such an intimate glimpse of her life and he squeezed Liam’s hand, rubbing his thumb across his hand gently. Maybe one day he and Liam would have something like this. Even if it was just an office space, he’d like to think that he would have photos of his boyfriend hanging with pride. 

“Hey,” the blue-haired girl greeted as she stepped into the room. “Sorry about the wait. I should have known you’d be the right on time type.” Winking, she opened a drawer and pulled out a slim binder. She opened the calendar section and pulled out a piece of paper, showing it to him. “Do you still like this?” She asked, tapping her fingers against it lightly.

“It’s perfect. And still in blue, if that’s okay.” Theo smiled slightly. 

“Right bicep? Still totally doable and I think it’s going to look great.” She waited for his nod of approval before snapping the binder shut and tucking it away. “Give me five to get the stencil ready and then we can start.” She told him before leaving the room.

“You’re sure you still want this?” Liam asked softly, drawing Theo’s lifted eyebrow toward himself. “Not that I don’t think a tattoo is a good idea. This is just...a really permanent statement.” He said softly. 

“It’s not about us, Liam. I told you that. Trust me, it’ll look great.” Theo drew him in for a soft kiss and smiled. He pulled back, leaning their foreheads together. “I love you. Thank you for coming with me today.”

“I love you, too.” Liam smiled and gently kissed his nose. The two sat in silence after that, waiting for Kira to return. She told Theo to remove his shirt as soon as she entered the room, rolling her eyes as he blushed and hesitated to comply.

“I don’t need your shirt in my way and I’m not interested in ogling you. Scout’s honor.” She reassured before starting to move around her station and get set up. Nodding, Theo did as told and moved his chair closer to the space she pointed out for him. He stretched his arm out and she took her time cleaning and shaving that area of his arm, adjusting the stencil a few times before applying it. It was weird to see the purple stain on his skin but he was only that much more excited for it. 

At the first touch of the needle against his skin, he found himself taking Liam’s hand in an iron grip. Kira clicked her tongue and told him to relax, turning and adjusting a few settings on her machine before she got back to work. Theo chose to stare off into space as the needle buzzed back to life and traced over his skin. In the background, he could hear Liam and Kira striking up a conversation. He hummed and nodded a few times but otherwise kept silent, focused on breathing and staying relaxed so Kira could do her job. 

In no time at all, she was wiping a cloth gently over his skin and giving him a list of instructions of how to take care of the tattoo. As she went to dispose of her gloves and tissues, Theo looked down at his arm and smiled. Kira had done an incredible job. There was a light blue anchor that stretched over his bicep, the chain holding it curving below it to form the initials  _ LD  _  in simple black. He turned and caught Liam’s lips in a kiss, smiling softly. Despite everything they’d been through, Liam had always been his anchor. He had wanted to commemorate their friendship and remind himself that even in the darkest of times, someone out there was a light to him. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This fic was a struggle. A lot of people know that. But, I am so fucking proud of myself for getting it done. Thanks to all who supported me. It means everything.


End file.
